Substitutes For Common Food Allergies

Food allergies can be a real drag when you’re in culinary academy or you’re just a foodie who loves to try new things. You may feel like there are so many dishes that you don’t get to experience due to your food allergy or intolerance. This doesn’t have to be the case. In fact, most foods that people are commonly allergic to have alternatives that are just as delicious. Next time you’re thinking of nixing a dish because of a certain ingredient, try an alternative.

Wheat
Many people suffer from wheat allergies or gluten intolerance, which can make baking a real drag. Flour is a common ingredient found in almost every pastry. However, tapioca or rice flour can do the trick just as well. Pasta is fairly easy to substitute for, as well. Just look for rice pasta or try your recipe with quinoa instead of noodles.

Soy
Soy comes in many forms, but one of the most popular is tofu. This meat substitute can wreak havoc on those with a soy intolerance, though. Ricotta cheese mimics the texture of tofu and can be used in just about any recipe that calls for the protein.

Peanuts
Peanut allergies are one of the most dangerous allergies, because they can cause anaphylaxis, closing off a person’s airways. It’s a good idea for people to stay away from nuts in general if they’re allergic to peanuts, but that doesn’t mean they have to go without crunch. Add some seeds, like sunflower or pumpkin to recipes that call for peanuts. Many of these come in butter form as well, so you don’t have to go without “peanut” butter and jelly sandwiches!

Citrus
People may be allergic to citrus or simply unable to enjoy it due to acid reflux. Many cocktails are made with citrus ingredients, but can easily be made with other fruits like berries or juices like apple. If you’re looking to mimic the acidity of citrus in your recipes, an acidic white wine is a nice substitute.

Milk
Substituting goat’s milk for cow’s milk isn’t usually acceptable for people who are lactose intolerant. Most “dairy-free” products are made with some sort of milk substitute. There are countless possibilities, however. Soy, rice and oat milk have been noted as the most similar in taste and consistency. These can be used in any recipe that calls for milk.

Eggs
If a recipe calls for more than three eggs per batch, an egg substitute doesn’t usually work as well as eggs would. For recipes that don’t need as many eggs, though, there are multiple options. If you’re baking and need egg as a binding agent, try substituting a half of a mashed banana or a 1/4 cup of applesauce per egg. If you’re cooking, try a gelatin blend or ground flax seed mix. If eggs are used in your recipe as a leavening agent, try a mixture of 1.5 tablespoons of vegetable oil mixed with 1.5 tablespoons of water and one teaspoon of baking powder for each egg.